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A new study looked at the effect of semaglutide vs. tirzepatide on weight loss over a 72 week period.
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At the end of the 72 weeks, people who took tirzepatide lost an average of 50 pounds.
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Here’s what the new study can tell us.
The term “Ozempic“may be synonymous with all things related to weight-loss drugs, but it’s certainly not the only option out there. New research suggests it might not even be the best choice for reaching your weight-loss goals.
A study, which was published in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that tirzepatide (Zepbound) is more effective for weight loss in a head-to-head trial with semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy). It’s important to point out that the study was funded by the company that makes Zepbound. But experts aren’t surprised by the findings.
Of course, if you’re interested in taking a weight-loss medication, it’s fair to wonder if Zepbound might be a better choice. Here’s what the study found, plus what a weight-loss doctor wants people to keep in mind when taking in this new information.
Meet the expert: Mir Ali, MD, is a medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA
What did the study find?
For the study, researchers had 751 people with obesity (but without type 2 diabetes) take either the maximum tolerated dose of tirzepatide or the maximum tolerated dose of semaglutide once a week for 72 weeks.
At the end of the 72 weeks, people who took tirzepatide lost an average of 50 pounds or about 20.2 percent of their body weight. Participants who took semaglutide lost an average of 33 pounds or 13.7 percent of their body weight. People who took tirzepatide also had bigger reductions in waist size compared to those who took semaglutide.
“Among participants with obesity but without diabetes, treatment with tirzepatide was superior to treatment with semaglutide with respect to reduction in body weight and waist circumference at week 72,” the researchers wrote in the conclusion.
Why is Zepbound more effective?
Mir Ali, MD, medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, isn’t shocked by the findings.
“Zepbound operates on two receptors that suppress the appetite and slow motility in the gastrointestinal tract—the GLP-1 and GIP receptors,” he explains. “Semaglutide only affects the GLP-1 receptor.” So, since Zepbound acts on more than one receptor “it makes sense that it would have a stronger effect on appetite and ultimately work better,” Dr. Ali says.
Who makes Zepbound?
Zepbound is made by Eli Lilly, which also makes fellow tirzepatide medication Mounjaro. (Ozempic is made by Novo Nordisk.)
How can I get Zepbound?
As with Ozempic, you need a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider to get Zepbound. From there, you can either fill it at your local pharmacy or purchase vials from LillyDirect, a self-pay pharmacy that Eli Lilly recently launched.
What are the side effects of taking Zepbound?
The researchers noted in the study that the most common side effects in people who took Ozempic and Zepbound were gastrointestinal. They also pointed out that most side effects were “mild to moderate” and that they occurred most often when people ramped up their dosage.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), those side effects can include:
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Nausea
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Diarrhea
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Vomiting
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Constipation
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Stomach discomfort and pain
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Injection site reactions
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Fatigue
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Allergic reactions like fever and rash
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Burping
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Hair loss
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Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
“The side effects with tirzepatide are very similar to semaglutide,” Dr. Ali says.
If you’re interested in taking Zepbound or any weight-loss drugs, Dr. Ali recommends talking to your doctor. “They’re designed for people who are considered obese or almost obese with other comorbid conditions like high blood pressure,” he says. “This is not for patients that just have a couple of pounds to lose.”
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